Sunday, October 31, 2010

Free Mumia Abu-Jamal: Detroit Screening of New Documentary on Mon., November 1, 7:00pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MECAWI HOSTS SCREENING OF NEW DOCUMENTARY, JUSTICE ON TRIAL: THE CASE OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL

What: First Detroit Screening on Mon. Nov. 1, 7:00 p.m.
Where: 5920 Second Ave. at Antoinette, North of WSU Campus
Cost: Free Admission
Contact: 313.671.3715
E-mail: panafnewswire@yahoo.com
URL: http://www.mecawi.org

Important Meeting As the Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal Takes on Renewed Urgency With Upcoming Court Hearing

As one of the nation’s most closely-watched death row cases heads to
the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals on November 9, Baruch College
Professor of American History Johanna Fernandez teams up with director Kouross Esmaeli of Big Noise Films to investigate the controversial case of Mumia Abu-Jamal in their new film, Justice on Trial: The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Fernandez wrote and produced the film, which Esmaeli directed. Justice on Trial will receive its first Detroit screening at the weekly meeting of the Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice on Mon., November 1 at 7:00pm.

A trial court convicted Abu-Jamal of first-degree murder in the 1981
killing of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. Abu-Jamal was
sentenced to death and has been on death row since 1982. During the
intervening years, debate has raged between Abu-Jamal’s supporters and detractors, with his supporters maintaining his innocence and claiming that exculpatory evidence was suppressed during the trial.

In Justice on Trial, Fernandez asks what she describes as fundamental
questions about the workings of the criminal justice system and the
Abu-Jamal case—from his sentencing in 1982 to subsequent appeals.
According to Fernandez, Justice on Trial presents the legal and
factual arguments for reasonable doubt about the fairness of the
guilty verdict.

Abu-Jamal is an award-winning radio journalist who sits on death row
in a Western Pennsylvania prison where he has authored six books,
including the bestselling Live From Death Row. On orders from the
Supreme Court, the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals will reconsider
reinstating the death penalty on Nov. 9. With the federal appeal on
the horizon, Fernandez and Esmaeli expedited completion of their
four-year project in order to participate in revived conversations
inspired by the case.

Trailer here: http://bignoisefilms.org/films/tactical-media/114-justice-on-trial Democracy Now news clip on the film here:
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/9/22/as_competing_films_offer_differing_views
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/justiceontrialthemovie

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